Last update - 00:00 22/02/2008
J'lem seeks hidden motives behind Russia's offer to host city's anniversary
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Russia has offered to host and finance events to mark Israel's 60th anniversary, but an official source in Jerusalem cautioned that there are no free lunches in Moscow.
The source said the Kremlin's "embrace of Israel" would bring it political benefits. "There are no free lunches where the Russians are concerned. They are doing this to gain influence and they won't hesitate to pour money into the Israel anniversary events," the source said.
A few days ago the minister in charge of the 60th anniversary celebrations, Ruhama Avraham Balila, met senior Russian officials in Moscow. Vyacheslav Nikonov, the executive director of the Russian World Foundation, arranged the visit.
The foundation was established by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who wishes to reinstate Russia's past national glory, particularly among Russian expatriates. The foundation, which is sponsored by Putin's wife, receives large budgets and deals mainly with spreading Russian culture, especially the Russian language, around the world.
A few months ago, Nikonov proposed to Yisrael Beiteinu MKs Robert Ilatov and Yosef Shagal the idea of organizing joint Russian and Israeli events in Moscow to mark Israel's 60th anniversary.
Nikonov said he could introduce senior Russian officials to Israelis and hinted that Moscow would take part in financing the events.
Ilatov, who chairs the parliamentary Israel-Russia Friendship Association, and Shagal contacted Avraham Balila and passed on to her an invitation to visit Moscow and meet Nikonov.
The ideas proposed included performances of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gesher Theater in Moscow, meetings with authors and exhibitions of Israeli artists.
Financing such events is estimated at millions of dollars, far above the sum earmarked by Israel's government for the 60th anniversary celebrations overseas.
Avraham Balila also met the Russian deputy minister of culture and the chairs of the foreign affairs committees of both houses of the Russian parliament. While the officials did not suggest directly that Russia would finance the events in Moscow, senior Russian diplomats told Israeli colleagues that Russia may be willing to finance at least some of
the events.
Balila Avraham's aides said "the minister's work trip was carried out for the government of Israel and everything was done according to the rules and procedures. The minister met the Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, who proposed initiating a resolution in the European Council to hold a festive debate for Israel's 60th anniversary."
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